robyn

Great picture, lovely birds. b.o.m. material

Great lot of re-cycle methods here. I have an old vacuum that sucks & blows. I sweep up seed without too much rubbish then using the "Blow" end of cleaner waving nozzle over seed as I pour it into bucket. Do this a couple of times it removes all husk and you have heaps of seed left. I then place this into pot plant saucers on floor.This then feeds the quail and the budgies dive in as well for a pick. Old junk from cages etc I have vacuumed out when they get really messy, mine waste a lot of seed in breeding cages, I don't know if they pick out special seeds at that time. This stuff I bin along with paper and greens scraps etc. to prevent mice. The neighbours might think I'm potty but it beats getting dizzy trying to blow husk out yourself. l.o.l

Thank's again Dave. Hope my little one stays blue. Off the subject a bit I just checked out Kaz's Grey wing post. What is the difference between the Grey wing and Spangle? I can see difference in feather pattern between Kaz's and my blue spangle in this post but can't work out the "why" of it. If that makes sense. Is it the spangle's feather edge is dark and the Grey wing edge is grey?

Hang it there Splat, everybody has their up's and down's don't be too hasty and regret it later. You always seem to encourage others take a bit for yourself eh!!

Hi Kaz thank's again. I thought it might be when I saw the "V" on it's back. The first chick is looking bluer by the day very pretty.

Thank's Kaz, the second bird is pretty but not as clear as this on the back. Something else I've learned to-day.

Thank's Dave. So it looks like I have 4 spangles, 3 opalines and 1 gr.green normal ( but has spot on head as well) from one nest. Can 2 spangles still in box, be opaline as well as spangle?

Hi, Finally got a couple of shots hope this helps.

Here is Mum and Dad, I'll just wipe the egg off my face, I don't know but could they both be spangle, something? This is an earlier picture of Mum's front. Here is junior again looks more blue than grey.Camera still doesn't pick up true colour even outside. Yes Kaz they are all from same nest. Caged not colony. Hope this helps query.

Thank's splat but I'm not even sure about the mantle etc. I don't show and am trying to read up on "what's what" but not very advanced, I'm assuming it's picture 5 with the clear area on it's back. No 6 is a different bird but very similar.

Hi All, Could someone please tell me what this chick is called. Dad is Normal Green, Mum is Yellow faced rec Grey Pied. (from past forum info) The camera doesn't really show his real colours, but hope it helps. Four youngest from nest including above chick. Two nearly identical spangles, this one has rec? pied spot. This fellow. Plus one grey green normal. A real mixed bag. Don't know parents history either. Not up with genetics either. Thanks in anticipation.

Hi All. Pair 4. (Took picture through nest box into cage) No 1 No 2 No 3 No 4 No 5 Pair 5 (laid 9 had 6 dead in shell?) No1 No 2 (dark eyed clear?) No 3 Well that's my crop. Great learning experience, should be a bit better next year. We live in hopes !! Thanks to Kaz for all her advice. :angel:

Hi Tonilee, I also wondered what caused d.i.shell chicks I had one hen lay 9 eggs, waited well past when first were due, she finally hatched 3 from 9. She was, I think first time mum and very scatty , she would fly off eggs kicking them around etc. every time I went in aviary. Mine were probably half formed when I checked them but all fertile. Even when she had chicks ready to leave nest she would hide under them. Maybe it's first time Mum's they may settle down with next batch. Fingers crossed anyway.

Thank's Kaz. How do we add more pictures then, do we make a new post? I hope to get this right one day. l.o.l.

Here are the next lot. ( I hope)Pair No 2 Late starters 1st round 5 clear eggs . no 1 no 2 no 3 no 4 These are still young but nearly all the same colour, cinnamon wings and various shades of green body colour. Plus a couple of Rec.? pied spots.Pair No 3. Hulk (Dad) is looking a bit worse for wear. I removed oldest 4 to seperate cage to give him a break. They are eating by themselves. No 1 no2 no 3 (not the same bird) no 4 no's 5.6.7.8. another pair of spangles + ? opaline + cobalt opaline? I would'nt know.Still more later. Thank's Kaz hope I'm doing this right. Have added more as "reply". Pictures no 5 & 6 are different birds. Which is the hen? no 6 I'm guessing as can't see sere on 5 or is there another secret to it? They are nearly identical. Thank's Hamish, I've added next lot. I'm flying blind as to mutations. Didn't have history of my breeding pairs so didn't know what I'd get but I got some lovely chicks. No 3 cage, when I get there was a real surprise spangles everywhere by the look of them! I bred 5 cages and have 27 chicks. Only lost 1 live chick.

Hi All, thought I'd show my first breeding season results. Pair No 1 Their babies. no 1 no 2 no 4+1 (4 on wall lost no 3) no 5 no 6 no 7 no 8 MORE TO FOLLOW. HOW MANY PICTURES CAN WE POST AT ONE TIME?

Well done, I think others advised me to leave it a week then check to see if there was improvement, if it was better, but not completely fixed put the splint back on for a few more days, but a little closer than before. Because yours was younger it might be quicker than an older one. I think it's trial and error but a couple of extra days shouldn't hurt to make sure. Good luck and keep us posted. It's good for future reference either way. :fingerscrossed:

Hi Jen any update on your splay legged little one yet?

Thank's Kaz, I read about lacking iodine. They have iodine bells in aviary but don't know if he has had it. In the water they would all get it, could they get too much with both? Bird is good to-day no sign of squeak now and alert etc. don't know how long to isolate him if he's improved now. thanks again for advice. If he has improved due to the ivomec you used then it was airsac mites and if so...you need to do all the birds. Well not good news, my Opaline was doing really well, lively, no squeak, eating etc. This morning found him dead on the floor.

Sorry about your chick Splat, but fingers crossed for your other little one. I know how you feel I lost my Grey Opaline this morning (he was Squeaky last week as posted) Was going really well, but to-day he was dead in cage. But, onward and upward!

Hi Tonilee, When I heard mine cheep a week or so back, I heard it at 7 a.m. at lunchtime nothing, I left it another couple hours and listened, sorry Kaz, but I lifted mine and heard faint pecking left it and late afternoon it finally hatched safe and well. Resist temptation it took 18 days to get this far a few more hours won't hurt. :rofl:

There's a lot of old info out there for us bird keepers....combine that with petshop blurb on the sides of packs....and we end up with things we dont really need or are using for reasons that dont make too much sense anymore. Like the petshops promoting sandpaper sheets for the bottom of cages and sandpaper perches. None of mine have it and none of my birds have claws growing out of control either. To be honest I have never had to cut a budgies claws, and when I hear some budgie owners talking about taking their bird to the vet for regular claw and beak trimming I wonder WHY Thank's All, but if your neighbour give you 50 pieces and the birds enjoy it, even if they just chew on it for fun, what the heck. Whatever gets the job done!!

Thanks Rip, that's what I wanted to know, I hunt mine out into flight (full sun) while I clean breeders cages etc. to make sure they get sun as per Don Bourke's findings. So thought they would be getting enough. I didn't want to let outside cuttlefish harm them. A neighbour bought me 50 pieces back from his holiday, so Iv'e got a lot spread around for them.P.S. my quails just hatched 4 tiny chicks, do they need or eat cuttlefish for calcium does anyone know? Hi 'cameronsch', I have an open fully wired flight for birds to get out in sun etc. which they love, I have some cuttlefish out there as well as in aviary. Would that give enough Vit. D. ? I have liquid cal as well but do you need it also, all the time. They get plenty greens etc also. thanks for advice.If they are getting sun then they have their own source fo vitamin D3 Just didn't want to overdo the Calcium.

Hi 'cameronsch', I have an open fully wired flight for birds to get out in sun etc. which they love, I have some cuttlefish out there as well as in aviary. Would that give enough Vit. D. ? I have liquid cal as well but do you need it also, all the time. They get plenty greens etc also. thanks for advice.

Hi Jen, maybe little( litle finger size) hair loops, stretch material types, looped figure 8 around both legs may hold them in position until it can get it's legs under it. Apparently it takes a while for them to push themselves upright. Anythings worth a try.